Chapter 7
The next day, she prepared herself to do some warm-up and practice. Her hands hesitated to grab the bow and arrow, afraid that she will fail in performing it. Well, it was expected since she has zero experience using it. So, she tried to observe the other samurai first and mimic their movements. Praying that she could execute it swiftly.
She pulled the end of the arrow and bow’s string while aiming her target. Everything suddenly stopped, her breathing, her movements, and the people around her. Her eyes focused only on the red dot in front of her, she breathe in and released the string, at the same time that she released her breath.
It was a miss.
She tried it again, it’s a miss, and a miss, and miss, and miss again.
Frustrated, she stomps her feet to the ground then walked to the target and retrieved all the arrows that she shots. When she returned to her spot, Shikamaru was standing there with his arms crossed.
“You’re lame at kyudo” he spoke
“I know, I have eyes. Lord Nara” she said in her polite tone but her face was visibly sarcastic
He sighs heavily “Back to your position. Show me how you did it”
She positions herself like she did earlier and pulled the string.
“Stop. See? Your posture is wrong”
“H-how?” She stutters while glancing at his position
“You must straighten your back, feet wide enough, pull your shoulders back to keep perfect balance and focus your energy on your lower abdomen” He walked closer to her and guides her arms in their proper position, and then his hands slide to her waist and taps her abdomen.
Temari felt a splurge of cold tingles in her skin at his touch. Her breath stops and she became out of focus because of that. His face leaned closer to hers and they were both looking at the target. Shikamaru has zero malice in doing that, he always does that to every samurai that he trained but Temari does. Her eyes were now fuzzy due to stopping her breath and the cold tingles in her body loses her focus.
“Release” he commands
It was still a miss. Temari was unable to focus and miss her shot because of how close Shikamaru was to her.
“Boy, you’re so lame at this. I think you need to rest and then continue practicing after. Don’t exhaust your muscle”
She nodded in response while loosening her collar to breathe properly. Shikamaru saw that she was nervous so he invited her for tea.
“Come with me. You need to calm your nerves. You’re too anxious”
Temari followed him to the table outside of the leader’s rooms. They both sat and were served green tea and Dango by the village’s servants.
“In two days, we will ride a ship going to Jiro Island. You’ll have your first battle in there so you better fix your kyudo skills” he said while sipping his tea
“Y-yeah, ofcourse. I’ll practice some more later” she said while chewing her Dango “So, what’s our battle plan?”
Shikamaru didn’t expect to hear her question, he looked at Temari and saw her curious eyes. Never in his life that a samurai would ask him about the battle plan, except for his four friends. He labeled her as an Interesting Samurai.
He pulled up the piece of paper inside his armor, it was a map of Jiro Island drawn in it. There were notes on where the enemies were located “tell me, where can we attack from here? Their weakest spot?”
Temari glanced at the paper, and she saw a part where the enemies sleep, stays, and eat. Her gaze returns to Shikamaru and pointed to a certain spot “Here”
Shikamaru looked at where she was pointing and saw a note that says, food and water supply.
“Cut their food and water supply. Send some samurais to steal it and the enemies will become weak. Then we can attack” she said
He smiled “You’re good. I didn’t know you have a good strategy in battle. It’s rare for a samurai to ask for a battle plan and my hunch just confirmed it. You’re both good at swords and battleplan”
Temari was trying to hide her smile, it was the first time that someone praises her for her brain and for her strength too. Not like she was in Suna, she only got praise for her beauty and her lineage for being a princess.
“But still suck at kyudo” he added
Her smile faded. She was visibly offended after hearing that. But it’s true, she cannot blame him.
“I guess, you need to start teaching me Kyudo now. I really want to make myself a total package” Temari said
“No. Na-ah, you’re on your own boy. Practice some more, I have to teach 20 samurais in the afternoon, and tomorrow we will have a new session on different survival skills so better finish your kyudo practice today”
She leaned her back to his chair and mimic a man pose “Sooo, when are we going to reach the Kages?”
Temari wanted to know so she could see her father and brothers. She felt that the more she stays the more she will get caught.
“When we reached Ouza Island”
“When is that?”
He turns his head to her with furrowed brows “Probably in two weeks. I am not sure. We are still waiting for a command from the Kumogakure assembly”
She nodded “Right”
Temari could wait, atleast she knows now how long she’ll hide her true identity. Two weeks is just fine, she said in her mind.
They finished their tea session and went to continue their training that day. Shikamaru starts teaching young samurais while Temari practiced her skills in Kyudo.
The next day, Shikamaru woke up from his futon with his right arm resting on his forehead. He keeps on thinking how different Takeo was. There’s something different about him that he can’t point out. He stood up from his bed and starts wearing his practice clothes.
Temari finished wrapping the sarashi to her chest, making sure that she did not forget this time, and then starts wearing her Kimono. She went outside to start the practice but she saw her teammates were in different clothes. They were wearing thin upper clothes and long pants, a Hakama.
“Takeo, why are you fully clothed?” Omoi asked
“Wait? What are you wearing? Aren’t we supposed to practice Kendo today?” She asked
“No silly, we are going to practice survival skills today” Lee appeared behind her and squeezed her shoulders
“What survival skills?” She asked
“Like…finding food in the forest, creating fire from scratch, and swimming in case the ship sink” Omoi explained
“Swimming?” Temari gasped. She doesn’t know how to swim and she can’t strip in front of them, her true identity will be revealed.
Shikamaru walked behind his army and command them to position themselves in one spot.
“Everyone of you. Today we are going to do some basic survival skills because tomorrow we are going to a battle on Jiro Island. Let’s start!”
They start their session with Shikamaru teaching them to build a fire, then how to properly use the medication from their first aid kits, he also taught them how to locate food and clean water in the middle of the forest, to stay calm and adequately assess the situation………..and then swimming in case of drowning.
“In our next session, I will teach you how to properly swim in case you drown. We will ride a ship going to Jiro Island and everyone of you should know how to swim in case of an attack or if the ship sinks” He walked in front and pointed his finger to their left, there was a long river flowing in the rich soil of the village.
Temari was startled after hearing about their next session.
Each of the young samurai stripped off their upper clothes and starts jumping into the river to practice. Shikamaru was now in the middle of the river assisting each of the samurai on how to properly breathe and swim under.
Temari was the only samurai left on the ground. Shikamaru glanced at his spot and observed her, curious why she wasn’t still in the water. He shakes his head and feels disappointed in her. After their session, all the young samurais left and proceeds to the shared bathroom to wash.
“Takeo!” Shikamaru called her name
Temari stopped in her spot and waited at his command.
“Why you didn't jump in the water?” He said with his impassive expression
“Uhm….I-I’m allergic to water?” She stutters
“You know that’s not true. I’m not dumb Takeo. Strip your upper cloth for me and jump in the river now” He walked towards her and commands
“I’ll just do it at night. Uhm, I can do it alone. I grasp the information you taught earlier so I can do it alone, you know?” She spoke
Shikamaru starts grabbing her obi, a wide sash or belt that holds her Kimono, attempting to remove it. Temari panicked and starts pulling her Kimono in return, afraid that he might see something that she was hiding.
“If you’re not going to remove it I will! You need to learn how to swim!” He said in his rage voice
“Pleaseeee! No!” She pleaded
Shikamaru was able to pull her Obi and threw it in the grass ground. Temari starts kneeling, in a fetal position to cover her body. He starts pulling her upper cloth but Temari was pulling it still in return. They both heard the cloth ripped apart in their pulling and Shikamaru saw what Temari hiding underneath. The sarashi that wrapped in her chest, covering her breast. Her figure was slightly visible from that angle and he was shocked after seeing it.
Suddenly, some of his brain wires connected and it was clear to him now. He felt bad about what he did so he grabbed his Kimono and covered her.
“Tomorrow you’ll leave the army. I don’t want to see your face in here” he commands and starts walking away from her spot
“No!” she insisted
“No?” he was surprised at how stubborn she is “You’re going to leave! Tomorrow!” he yelled
“I said no! I need to see my brothers and father” her voice cracked
“Brothers and father?? Who are your brothers and father” he was curious about what she was saying, Shikamaru knows every samurai in their army.
“Gaara and Kankuro....I’m the daughter of Rasa” she said without looking at him
Shikamaru’s eyes widened “There’s no fucking way. We better return you to Suna! Immediately! End of story!”
Temari kneeled in front of him and begged “Please, let me stay. I need to fight! I need to be with my brothers”
“You know they wouldn’t allow girls to be in a war, right?”
“I know! And I’ve been here for a long fucking time! You don’t know how much I need to put in my hands just to have the same privilege as you! As a man! In this fucking world! Not double but triple or even more!” her voice becomes louder for fighting for her rights
Shikamaru felt her words. She’s right, she has been through a lot in the camp while hiding her true identity. He could feel her passion for fighting and a top of that, she excelled in every sparring they had. She’s a talented warrior, indeed.
“Get up! If someone caught you before we reached Ouza island....before we reached your family. I am not responsible for your death! You hear me? You better stay hidden” he said
“Yes! Yes! I will not involve you with this. I promise…..thank you”
Shikamaru immediately left her spot.